The Pacific International Kayak Association -PIKA- is a sea kayak club based in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. We are dedicated to exploring local lakes, rivers and ocean on BC’s west coast by kayak.
The club, formed in 1997, has more than 100 members. We organize paddling trips throughout the year, hold monthly meetings with guest speakers and events, offer clinics and courses to members, and represent the interests of sea kayakers in BC.
PIKA’s unique identity: to help, to learn and to offer an enriching experience for people who want to improve their paddling skills and find opportunities to enjoy BC’s waterways.
What we do
PIKA offers a calendar of paddling trips starting with the Polar Bear Paddle on January 1st and continuing through the year. Trips range from day paddles on Lower Mainland lakes, rivers, and inlets to longer trips of 3 to 14 days in areas such as the Broken Group Islands, Gulf Islands, Sunshine Coast, God’s Pocket, Central Coast, Broughton Archipelago and other wilderness areas of interest. For a look at our calendar, see Trips.
For a pictorial journey on some of our past paddles, see the Galleries.
We also offer clinics and practice sessions to our members as well as low-cost Paddle Canada courses.
Becoming a member
Our members hail from just about every community in the Lower Mainland (Fraser Valley) including Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Langley, Surrey, Burnaby, Vancouver, Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, Mission and Belcarra. Our international members hail from the USA.
Come out and learn how to paddle. Or meet someone new to paddle with. You are welcome to join the club or to just attend meetings. For information about becoming a member, see Membership.
Our mentor program encourages people who are new to sea kayaking to join us on the paddles.
For a collection of frequently asked questions about PIKA, see FAQs.
BC Marine Trails
PIKA is a member of BC Marine Trails and supports its three-pillar-approach. BCMT is a non-profit organization that promotes building a safe and contiguous marine trail, engaging with First Nations and protecting our coast. To learn more about BCMT, go to its website at www.bcmarinetrails.org.